- Joined
- Feb 9, 2012
- Messages
- 902
I promised this test months ago, and for various reasons it has taken me until now to get it done. As many of you remember I did a M4 Millie vs. Cruwear Millie test last year. In that one, Cruwear was clearly outclassed. Cruwear just simply could not compete with the M4. The question was raised at that time how Cruwear would fare against a mere mortal steel like S30V. Well, the rope has been cut, the copy paper sliced, and the results scientifically calculated.......
First things first. In order to keep the test as accurate as I know how this is how I test: I sharpen both knives at the same angle with the same grit stone. This test I used a Wicked Edge, set at 25* per side. I used a 600 grit stone. I feel like this is a serious, hard use edge. It's not the greatest slicing edge, it's not meant to be. It is a real world, use it without fear of it rolling or chipping, daily user edge. The 600 grit stone is not a toilet tissue slicing stone. It is more abrasive, and I feel as if it is far better suited to cut real things that a person actually cuts. It's a rope cutting, leather cutting, usable working edge. I have taken my steel down to the .5 micron smooth edges. It generally slides off rope or other fiberous material quite in effectively. There are folks who like those edges, I just don't think they cut real world daily materials that well. Next up is the rope I cut. I use 3/8 inch manilla rope. It is a hard, natural fiber that isn't especially easy to cut. I feel that it really tests an edge. I cut on a 2x4 of pine wood. This is a rather soft wood that doesn't full the edges like a glass or stone cutting board. My test is I make 20 slices through the rope, then I check to see if the edge will still cleanly slice notebook paper. When the edge no longer is paper slicing sharp, I call it. Surprisingly, printer paper slices pretty easy, and the edges are quite worked by the time they won't slice it (think about how your friend's edges usually feel on their knives, you get the idea).
Now the results:S30V made 300 cuts through the 3/8 rope before it would no longer slice clean. Cruwear made 270 cuts. At 260 it was sketchy, so I checked it at 10 cuts to see, sure enough, it was done at 270. The Cruwear really held its own I feel.
Some observations: S30V is a pretty darn good steel. I think in this day and age of S90V, M4, M390, I think S30V gets overlooked. I'm guilty of it for sure. This test shows that S30V can still hold its own. Another thing I noticed is something that is very often mentioned about S30V: it loses it's razor edge pretty fast, but it holds a "working edge" a very long time. Lastly, about Cruwear, I sure hope it's a tough steel, because it has been beaten in my last two edge retention tests. I know it's a tough, durable tool steel, but it isn't going to hang with the higher alloyed, higher Vanadium steel in edge retention.
Hope you enjoyed my test. Please feel free to ask questions or post your thoughts.
First things first. In order to keep the test as accurate as I know how this is how I test: I sharpen both knives at the same angle with the same grit stone. This test I used a Wicked Edge, set at 25* per side. I used a 600 grit stone. I feel like this is a serious, hard use edge. It's not the greatest slicing edge, it's not meant to be. It is a real world, use it without fear of it rolling or chipping, daily user edge. The 600 grit stone is not a toilet tissue slicing stone. It is more abrasive, and I feel as if it is far better suited to cut real things that a person actually cuts. It's a rope cutting, leather cutting, usable working edge. I have taken my steel down to the .5 micron smooth edges. It generally slides off rope or other fiberous material quite in effectively. There are folks who like those edges, I just don't think they cut real world daily materials that well. Next up is the rope I cut. I use 3/8 inch manilla rope. It is a hard, natural fiber that isn't especially easy to cut. I feel that it really tests an edge. I cut on a 2x4 of pine wood. This is a rather soft wood that doesn't full the edges like a glass or stone cutting board. My test is I make 20 slices through the rope, then I check to see if the edge will still cleanly slice notebook paper. When the edge no longer is paper slicing sharp, I call it. Surprisingly, printer paper slices pretty easy, and the edges are quite worked by the time they won't slice it (think about how your friend's edges usually feel on their knives, you get the idea).
Now the results:S30V made 300 cuts through the 3/8 rope before it would no longer slice clean. Cruwear made 270 cuts. At 260 it was sketchy, so I checked it at 10 cuts to see, sure enough, it was done at 270. The Cruwear really held its own I feel.
Some observations: S30V is a pretty darn good steel. I think in this day and age of S90V, M4, M390, I think S30V gets overlooked. I'm guilty of it for sure. This test shows that S30V can still hold its own. Another thing I noticed is something that is very often mentioned about S30V: it loses it's razor edge pretty fast, but it holds a "working edge" a very long time. Lastly, about Cruwear, I sure hope it's a tough steel, because it has been beaten in my last two edge retention tests. I know it's a tough, durable tool steel, but it isn't going to hang with the higher alloyed, higher Vanadium steel in edge retention.
Hope you enjoyed my test. Please feel free to ask questions or post your thoughts.
